If you ever wanted proof of how wealthy American Christians are and how little the ordinary means of grace receive from believers’ charitable contributions, just take a look stories like this:
In its fourth annual State of Giving report, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) reveals that charitable giving to more than 1,600 of its accredited organizations increased 6.4 percent last year. Donations reached $11 billion in 2012, compared to $10.3 billion in 2011. . . .
The biggest winners among 28 categories: foundations (up 25%), adoption (up 12.2%), K-12 education (up 12%), short-term missions (up 12.1%), and higher education (10%). The presence of education among the top five is notable, given the segment has seen one of the biggest declines since 2007.
Better yet, go to ECFA’s own website where you find numbers (for 2012) like this:
Bethany Christian Services — Expenses $82,735,557 Revenue $84,569,821
InverVarsity Christian Fellowship — Expenses $84,192,000 Revenue $83,494,000
Home School Foundation — Expenses $1,790,302 Revenue $1,770,418
Evangelical Presbyterian Church — Expenses $12,097,370 Revenue $16,059,164
Desiring God Ministries — Expenses $5,784,699 Revenue $6,023,726
Gospel Coalition — Expenses $1,106,824 Revenue $1,456,923
So that Roman Catholic readers don’t feel left out (or superior), I should mention that I tried to find figures on various diocesan budgets. Guidestar will provide them for a fee. But I did run across this dated tidbit in a pastoral letter from the Bishop of Albany (why the press did not cover a church officer sporting apostolic succession and episcopal charism is beyond me):
A recent study by Bishop William McManus and Father Andrew Greeley entitled Catholic Contributions: Sociology and Policy reveals that although American Catholics earn on the average over a $1,000.00 a year more than their Protestant counterparts, Catholic financial contributions to their Church are much less than those of Protestants. For example, on the average, Protestants contribute $580.00 to their Church annually as opposed to $320.00 for Catholics. Furthermore, Catholics contribute only 1.1 percent of their income to the Church while Protestants donate at the level of 2.2 percent of their income.
More strikingly, the study finds that the disparity between Catholic and Protestant giving is the result of the dramatic change in giving patterns of contributions to one’s Church over the past 25 years. In the early 1960’s, Catholics gave the same proportion of their income to the Church as Protestants contributed. In the last quarter century, however, the Protestant giving rate remains stable at approximately 2 percent of annual income while the Catholic rate has fallen from more than 2 percent to about 1 percent.
Why has this occurred? Is it that Catholics have become stingier or more miserly? I hardly think so. Is it due to the changing levels in Church attendance? No, because Protestant church attendance has declined significantly more than Catholic in this time frame but their level of giving has not. Is it because Catholics give to our schools rather than the Church? Statistics reveal that this is not the case because parents who send their children to Catholic schools contribute more rather than less to the Church than do other Catholics.
I believe that the decline in the pattern of Catholic giving to the Church is due primarily to the lack of communication and the lack of leadership.
Old Life 
D.G. – But I did run across this dated tidbit
Erik – Since Greeley is dead I can vouch for the fact that it may indeed be a bit dated.
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From the Report – For example, on the average, Protestants contribute $580.00 to their Church annually as opposed to $320.00 for Catholics.
Erik – Dudes are obviously not supporting a URC or OPC Congregation…
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Maybe the Catholics are just bypassing the middleman and sending their money directly to the defense attorneys and the victims’ compensation fund…
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If OPC & URC members gave at those levels they would soon be sitting together in a circle in someone’s home listening to R.C. Sproul teaching tapes.
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Erik,
I give mine to the cover-up foundation
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Kenneth,
Just so you get receipts.
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Hey, if John Edwards can have a Bunny Mellon, why not Pope Francis?
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Just for your information, here is a website I found a while back that gives information of “charitable” organizations, including big name Christian organizations. Type some big time name in Christianity if you want to see how much income the organization and its leaders make. It also gives some interesting statistics like the % a leader obtains from the total income, fund raising expenses, administrative expenses, and so on. I saw one well known leader’s income and was amazed; he might earn more since he also is also an administrator in an educational institution and a pastor, or maybe his income is from all these jobs.
It would be better if Christians concentrated on supporting struggling churches rather than para-church organizations or other ministries. The para-church is too independent from the church in my opinion. This non-churchly aspect of evangelicalism is very disappointing.
http://www.charitynavigator.org/
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I forgot to emphasize that Romanists institutions are also available, like EWTN. But I suggest you check out Catholic Answers and see the relatively bad stats they have. Karl Keating makes a comfortable amount.
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Someone hasn’t gotten the memo from Francis:
CAMDEN, N.J. — Camden Bishop Dennis Sullivan has purchased a new residence, an historic mansion that once served as the home of the president of Rowan University.
The New Jersey diocese purchased the 7,000 square foot home with eight bedrooms and six bathrooms for $500,000. The residence will provide Sullivan with more room for entertaining dignitaries, hosting donors and for work space, according to Peter Feuerherd, diocesan spokesman.
He said the bishop will live there “with at least two other priests, maybe more.”
The home, built in 1908, has been on the market for about two years. According to a report in the Camden Courier Post newspaper, the home was purchased in 2000 for Dr. Donald Farish, then president of Rowan University. Under the university’s ownership, the house underwent about $700,000 in renovations.
Some of the amenities include an in-ground pool, three fireplaces, a library and a five-car garage.
http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/nj-diocese-purchases-500000-mansion
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A Bishop needs eight bedrooms & six bathrooms like Don Draper needs more girlfriends.
Does the place have a garden shed for Pope Francis to stay in if he visits?
Glad I’m not paying tuition at Rowan University.
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Not sure who you’re d-bagging here, Darryl. Take Arthur Brooks on, or get his back. He lives in the real world.
http://www.aei-ideas.org/2013/12/arthur-brooks-to-unveil-new-research-on-charitable-giving/
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mikelmann
Posted January 3, 2014 at 6:12 pm | Permalink
CAMDEN, N.J. — Camden Bishop Dennis Sullivan has purchased a new residence, an historic mansion that once served as the home of the president of Rowan University.
The New Jersey diocese purchased the 7,000 square foot home with eight bedrooms and six bathrooms for $500,000.
a) 7000 sq ft for only $500K?
b) Ever been to Camden?
Dr. Darryl, as an educator and a churchman as well as an erstwhile Philadelphian, pls don’t be delinquent in educating your charges. Step up.
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TVD, actual and committed Catholics have bigger fish to fry than just mindlessly opposing whatever is said at Old Life. I found the article linked by Catholic who doesn’t like it. Moreover there are some interesting and informed comments, which is to say comments much different than yours. A few follow here.
1. Given all the parishes his predecessor closed, I fail to see why the bishop could not find an adequate empty rectory to suit his needs. Given the poverty within the diocese, especially in the cities of Camden and Atlantic City, this is a disgrace. An absolute example that many bishops and clergy will not follow the lead of Pope Francis unless forced to… I grew up in the Diocese of Camden, attended Catholic schools there (both elementary and high school) and was formed in the faith in Camden parishes. The empty shell that this diocese has become is a shame and this type of action will do nothing to bring Gospel values to a part of our world that very desperately needs it. How many priests from the Camden Diocese do I personally know who are behind bars or removed from ministry due to misconduct. Jesus weeps.
2. I grew up in the same diocese.
You said everything I wanted to say, only better. Thank you.
3. Thank you, for your comments.
4. Perhaps Bishop Sullivan needs a “pastoral” visit with Pope Francis, just like a certain German bishop did. This shows the immense disconnect between some bishops and the one in Rome. It is not all that surprising, however, that the old ways of clerical/apostolic privilege should be hard to fall: it is so ingrained in some that it is viewed by them as a right, what is due to one who is “chosen” for Apostolic succession. The problem is, those who think and act this way are so blind and deaf, they can’t even understand what it is that Pope Francis is showing them about apostolic leadership. They can’t even see that they are going backwards, with so many bishops having sold their diocesan mansions and moved to the sort of quarters that meet their needs but not beyond that. How sad, and how narcissistic.
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